transmission

American  

[trans-mish-uhn, tranz-] / trænsˈmɪʃ ən, trænz- /

noun

• transmissions
  plural

1. the act or process of transmitting.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

2. the fact of being transmitted.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

3. something that is transmitted.

4. Machinery.

   1. transference of force between machines or mechanisms, often with changes of torque and speed.

   2. a compact, enclosed unit of gears or the like for this purpose, as in an automobile.

5. Radio and Television. the broadcasting of electromagnetic waves from one location to another, as from a transmitter to a receiver.

6. Physics. transmittance.

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transmission British  

/ trænzˈmɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of transmitting

2. something that is transmitted

3. the extent to which a body or medium transmits light, sound, or some other form of energy

4. the transference of motive force or power

5. a system of shafts, gears, torque converters, etc, that transmits power, esp the arrangement of such parts that transmits the power of the engine to the driving wheels of a motor vehicle

6. the act or process of sending a message, picture, or other information from one location to one or more other locations by means of radio waves, electrical signals, light signals, etc

7. a radio or television broadcast

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nontransmission
  noun
• pretransmission
  noun
• retransmission
  noun
• transmissibility
  noun
• transmissiveness
  noun
• transmissible
  adjective
• transmissive
  adjective
• untransmissive
  adjective
• transmissively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• transmissions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of transmission

1605–15; < Latin trānsmissiōn- (stem of trānsmissiō ) a sending across, equivalent to trānsmiss ( us ) (past participle of trānsmittere to send across) + -iōn- -ion. See trans-, mission

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Explanation

Transmission is the act of transferring something from one spot to another, like a radio or TV broadcast, or a disease going from one person to another. The noun transmission comes from the Latin word transmissio, which means “sending over or across, passage.” The transmission of a message is the delivery of the message. Transmission can also be a communication sent out by radio or television, while the transmission of a disease is the passing of that virus or bacteria between people. A vehicle’s transmission is the part of the engine that uses the energy created by the burning fuel to make the axle turn.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

transmission transmissions

Nymphs are immature ticks responsible for much of the Lyme disease transmission to humans.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 9, 2026

Ukraine's energy ministry said "a massive attack on a number of energy facilities" had plunged five regions into darkness and significantly hampered electricity transmission in Kyiv and surrounding region.

From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026

The Lateral Signalling Block is a back-up system used when the automatic signalling or data transmission system fails.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

The proposed limit on shareholder liability would be equal to 20% of each utility’s transmission and distribution equity rate base, which differs based on the size of the grid maintained by each company.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Then images appeared in my mind, weak and distorted, as if the transmission were being disrupted at the source.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

“I got fire all around me ... I got fire all around me,” he could be heard saying over emergency radio transmissions before his colleagues carried him to safety.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026

Radio transmissions show trouble with communications between the air traffic controller and the pilot, the Boston Globe reported, based on transmissions provided by LiveATC.net.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Such tariffs would make U.S.-made components such as engines and transmissions more expensive, prompting Brazilian manufacturers to “look for other suppliers that are more competitive,” said Paulo Estevam Camargo, president of industry group Simespi.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

The observations covered frequencies from 1 to 9 gigahertz, a range suitable for detecting narrowband radio transmissions.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 23, 2026

In previous assignments, even the one with Luzan, I had always been able to follow through with my initial transmissions despite feeling a moment’s pang of remorse.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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Related Words

• broadcast
• communication
• delivery
• gearbox

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